Silent Sorrow (eBook)

Barbara Siebeneick (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2020 | 1. Auflage
324 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-0983-2105-5 (ISBN)

After finding a dead woman on the shores of Monterey, California, Detective Brad Evans is called to San Carlos Cathedral where his twin sister, Bea, has found an abandoned child. Unable to talk, the little girl holds the key to the murdered woman. Bea has taken the child into her home and, unwittingly, invited danger into their lives. Brad's investigation intensifies and the search for the killer becomes personal. Set in the backdrop of the Monterey Peninsula during the Thanksgiving to Christmas season, "e;Silent Sorrow,"e; describes many of the scenes and activities that make Monterey an International tourist destination.

Bea Oakley approached the doors of San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey. She had been thinking about last year’s murders and wanted to light a candle and say a prayer for Jimmy Williams, Frank Jacks and the Cardinal. She shuddered as she remembered finding the body of Cardinal Charles Barrows in the Cathedral’s crypt. Every time she went to Mass, she remembered him lying there, surrounded by blood. She hadn’t forgotten the murder of Frank Jacks, Jimmy Williams and the attempts on Detective Brad Evans that followed.

All that death over some old, forgotten, treasure. How could someone kill the Cardinal and two others? I still find it hard to believe that so much evil exists. Maybe I should say a prayer that the killer will find salvation in prison. Doesn’t it say something in the Bible about gaining the world and losing your soul? At least the killer didn’t get away with it and Brad is alright now. He was extremely lucky to have survived both a poisoning and knife wound. My brother is strong, but that was a lot for anybody. I don’t know what I would have done if he had died.

Brad Evans and Bea were twins and their bond was extremely close. They looked a lot alike and had grown even closer as life had thrown them challenges. They were both five feet ten inches tall and had the broad shoulders of former swimmers. Although they were in their forties now, they had kept active and healthy. It was a shock for Bea to see her healthy brother in the hospital after the attempted murder and poisoning.

Bea stood by the holy water font near the entrance, shook out her umbrella, and left it against the wall. In the last pew she noticed a little girl curled up in a ball, fast asleep.

She must be waiting for her parents. I’ll just slip by and not wake her.

Moving toward the front of the old church, she stopped at the large statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. It was one of her favorites. Dressed in black with a handkerchief in her hands, Bea liked the way the statue depicted the sorrow of Mary as she stood at the foot of the cross. The tear running down her cheek made her seem so real. The statue from the 1800’s was beautiful, but dirty. The cloth dress was so fragile that she couldn’t be cleaned. Occasionally, someone would replace the white handkerchief with a clean one, but it was amazing how fast the traffic dust and fumes would turn it brown again.

Most statues look so cold and emotionless that it’s hard for me to identify with them, but this one speaks to my heart. To me she represents the sorrow of all women. I remember when my boys were little, I would come here to look at her and remember that she was a mother too. It would give me strength to deal with the little problems of being a parent. Thank goodness my boys were pretty easy, but all kids have their moments. I can’t really picture Mary having problems with Jesus, but she must have felt a lot of pain over his crucifixion and death.

I wonder what happened to the silver crown and sword that pierced her heart? I’ve seen a picture of them in the Heritage Center. Somewhere in the archives there must be a note about it. Maybe when I have some leisure time, I’ll check it out. Hah! As if that will ever happen!

Bea proceeded forward to the transepts where rows of candles were glowing along a side wall in the dimly lit church. Putting a couple of dollars in the offering box, she lit three candles and spent some time remembering and praying for Cardinal Charles, Jimmy and Frank.

As she returned to the entrance, Bea noticed that the little girl was still on the pew and was shivering in the cool church. Drawing closer, Bea noticed that the child was wet. Wetter than being out on a rainy day would cause. She saw that the small, slender, child was watching her.

Bea moved closer. “Hello, are you okay? “

The little girl jerked and shrunk away from Bea.

“Where are your parents?”

The child looked at her with sad, fearful eyes.

“You are shivering, why don’t you put on my coat for a while. Do you mind if I sit here with you?” The child shook her head slightly, so Bea took off her coat and gently placed it around the child. Then, she sat on the pew about a body’s width away from the girl. “What is your name, sweetheart? My name is Bea. Are you waiting for someone?” The child just stared at her with a blank look.

“Well, why don’t I just sit here with you until your parents come. Would you like something to eat?” Bea searched around in her purse until she came up with a granola bar and a small bottle of water. The child shyly took them and then ate and drank as if she was starving. Finished, she gave Bea a shy smile.

“I’m glad you liked that. I wish I had more to give you. You know, I have two boys. They could always eat more of what I gave them. We used to say they had hollow legs! They are grown up now and in college, but I always hoped I’d have a little girl too. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

When the child still didn’t respond, Bea began to wonder if she couldn’t talk or had some other kind of handicap. Who would leave a child like this, alone and wet, all by herself?

***

Father Mike O’Hanlon entered the church through the massive wooden doors. Bea always thought that he looked like a young Harrison Ford with his crooked smile, rugged looks and sandy hair. He was a sensitive and loving shepherd of his parish. Bea enjoyed the mix of deep thoughts and folksy humor he added to his sermons.

“Hi Bea, how are you doing and who is this lovely young lady with you?”

“I’m fine, but I’m not sure who she is, Father Mike. I found her here, cold and wet, and thought I’d try to talk to her. She seems alert enough, but she hasn’t said a word.”

Father Mike sat down on the pew in front of them and turned so he could see the little girl. When he got close, the girl shrank away from him and moved closer to Bea.

“Don’t be afraid darling, Father Mike won’t hurt you.” Bea put an arm around the child, drawing her close to make her feel secure. She brushed the wet, blond hair out of the girl’s face.

“Hi, I’m Father Mike. What’s your name?” Not getting a response, Father Mike continued, “That’s okay, you don’t have to tell me now, but maybe later, when we are friends. Did you know that this is my church? Well, actually it is God’s church and I just get to live here and take care of it. I have a house next door that is a lot warmer than in here. Would you like to go there? Bea can come too.”

The girl looked up at Bea and, when she was reassured that she would be safe, she nodded her head.

“Are you okay to walk? It’s only a little way.”

The girl nodded and held Bea’s hand as they crossed the small parking lot between the church and the rectory. Father Mike led them inside. “Bea, why don’t you take her into the bathroom and dry her off bit. I’ll find something warm that she can wear and set it by the door. Then I’ll set a pot of water on to make some hot chocolate. Meet me in the kitchen when you are done.”

Shortly afterwards, Bea and the child walked into the kitchen. She had on a T shirt with WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) across the front and a huge bathrobe that Bea had tied up, as well as she could, to keep her from tripping. The sleeves were also rolled up several times. Bea had dried and combed her hair and the child looked warm and cozy.

They sat down at the old, wooden, 1950’s table. The child pulled her bare feet up so they were snuggled under the bathrobe. Father Mike was pouring some hot water in three cups and adding some instant hot chocolate to it. “I like my hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows. How about you?”

The child just looked at him, so he gave her one to eat. When she just stared at the marshmallow, Bea took one and ate it to show her it was okay. Slowly, the child reached out and put a marshmallow in her mouth. A look of pure joy lit up her face.

“Well, I guess you like them. In that case I’ll put two in your cup. Be careful though, it may still be hot”

The child picked up the mug and wrapped her hands around the outside. She took a small sip. Again, a smile spread from ear to ear like she’d never tasted anything so heavenly.

“Do you like that? Drink slowly and I can make you another one later.”

“Father, she seems very hungry. Can I make her a sandwich or maybe some eggs? Do you want anything, Father?

“No thanks, I already had breakfast, but go ahead and use anything you can find in the refrigerator. We don’t really cook here anymore. It’s not like the old days when every rectory had a cook and housecleaner. Mostly, I get by on the generosity of...

Erscheint lt. Verlag	31.8.2020
Sprache	englisch
Themenwelt	Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
ISBN-10	1-0983-2105-7 / 1098321057
ISBN-13	978-1-0983-2105-5 / 9781098321055

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